


ser·en·dip·i·ty

by killerbsan (oh_captain)



Series: I really want to see Sakura with every member of the Akatsuki [3]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, F/M, Mutual Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-21
Updated: 2015-07-21
Packaged: 2018-04-10 10:59:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,841
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4389212
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/oh_captain/pseuds/killerbsan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <span class="small">“I have no idea how to work this washing machine, can you help me?” AU in which Sakura is at the laundromat a friend had suggested because it was cheap and the machines are totally different than normal ones and Sasori just happens to be sitting on his while it violently shakes bc if you get off of it the lid will pop off that’s how cheap these things are</span>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	ser·en·dip·i·ty

Sakura stared at probably the cheapest dingiest looking washing machine she had ever seen. And that's saying something because she came from the low middle class, both her parents barely scraping by.

Since she had gotten accepted at Senjuu university, she found she couldn’t afford the student dorms at all, and had quickly found a way to make ends meet by getting a roommate. He worked at some hoity toity pottery barn, and basically paid for everything, and looked down on her and the last thing she wanted to do was let him know she also needed to wash her clothes. Sai’s comments were enough, she didn’t need him going through her underwear.

Now, currently, she was staring at these ugly brown machines, that weren’t even in her fucking language wondering how the hell to operate it, with all the buttons and switches-fucking _switches_ -contemplating if crying was an option. All her clothes were inside and so was the soap and she just…She was ready to beat up the machine if it came down to it. If just one thing went in her favor, maybe this week (month) wouldn’t be so bad, but no. So far all she’s done is volunteer work at the ER, gotten a job at some weird diner, waitressing where she had to wear the ugliest plaid apron, and that didn’t pay as much as she had hoped with very small tips.

Casting a desperate look around, she saw a redhead sitting on a wildly thrashing brown machine that was throwing him around while he calmly read a book like it didn’t bother him at all. She deflated, at that. Oh God she was going to have to stay here with it so the machine didn’t topple over. It looked like one of those mechanical bulls, she thought to herself as she watched it shake and teeter.

The redhead looked up with apathetic eyes when Sakura said a small ‘excuse me’ to him. He looked her over, from her black gymnastique shorts to her red tanktop to her pink hair that dusted her chin and neck.

“What?” He asked.

She flinched a bit, but forced a smile on her face. “I have no idea how to work this machine, can you help me?”

He looked from her to her machine before nodding. “Flip the switch to the left for cold water, the one on the right for hot. Turn the knob on once for small loads twice for medium and three times for large loads though I don’t recommend anything bigger than the second turn. The big knob on the left can be turned all the way to the beginning again because it’ll glitch out if you don’t. Half way through the wash if you’re using cold water the pipes will freeze so flip on the hot water. You can turn the cold water back on after 5 minutes.”

Sakura blinked, looking to all the switches and knobs and doohickeys he had addressed. “Ahh.” She flipped the switch for warm water, not chancing the cold water. and following all the other instructions before pausing at the green yellow and red lights that flashed at her as she closed the lid. “What are the lights for?”

“To tell you if the machine is gonna break or not. They turn red about 20 minutes in. I’d suggest getting comfortable on it now or it’ll flop over and you’ll be buying a new machine for them.” He said, looking back to his page as the book made a ripping noise and the first chunk fell out and onto the floor.

“I’m Sakura.” Sakura said as she picked it up for him and tried handing it to him, even though his hand was being wildly jerked.

He managed to grab it and looked to her. “Sasori.”

 

Sasori had tossed her the first half of his book about 15 minutes into the whole process, after she tried talking to him. She had sighed, but read it anyway. It was a weird book, a memoir maybe, about a man who had a massive stroke.

Sasori had left after his clothes had finished in the dryer which he quickly told her to only turn the knob twice don’t touch anything else but the weird pinball machine thing that she pulled out and released to start it.

So she had half of his very interesting book, and no way to give it back until she ran into him again.

Right now, she was putting away said laundry (because Sai didn’t like her clutter and since he paid most of the bills, she wasn’t going to argue), while also having Ino do flash cards with her over Skype.

“Sakura!” Ino groaned.

Sakura looked to her, pausing in folding one of her nurse shirts.

“You aren’t listening.” Ino accused.

“I am so!” Sakura gasped, as if offended.

“Right, right, so, who’s the guy?” Ino eyed her.

“I’m ending the skype call if we don’t do productive things.” Sakura threatened, feeling her cheeks heat up at the accusation.

“Tell me, Forehead. Or else.”

“Or else what, Pig?” Sakura let out a laugh.

“I’ll text Naruto that you’re sleeping around. Or Lee.” Ino fluttered her blue eyes.

“You wouldn’t!” Sakura’s shirt fell from her fingertips.

“Wouldn’t I? Spill it, Haruno.” Ino’s stank eye was really wearing on her.

“His name is Sasori.” Sakura sniffed. “And he helped me work these death traps they call laundry machines.”

 

Sasori was there when she went again the next week with more clothes. Sadly a lot of stuff had blood, as she had been called to an emergency and had to help the patient before changing because it was that immediate. Slipping on the medical gloves was all she had time for. Anyway, by the time she had gotten home, she had had to strip and she’d just thrown her sweater and leggings in and it had smeared on everything and she really hated herself for the rest of the night.

He watched her stuff the things and, and brown flakes flutter to the tiles in a heap. She tiredly pulled the first half of his book from her big pocket and handed it to him from where he was shaking on top of the machine. It was hoodie season, she could get away with it.

“Are you in a gang?” He wondered as she threw in soap and put it to cold water.

“I volunteer at the ER. Only, I know the head doctor, she’s been showing me the ropes there and…” Sakura shrugged, hopping up on the machine as it started up, giving a terrifying shudder as the water was drugged into it.

“ER, huh? So, you’re a nurse?” He asked.

“Not yet, I’m still studying to become one.” Sakura kicked her feet childishly.

“Where at?”

“Senjuu Uni.” She waved a hand in the general direction of the school.

“Me too.” He added, making Sakura’s eyes snap to him in surprise.

“No way?” She grinned.

“Well, not to become a nurse or doctor or anything, but I’m in the Engineering department.” He shrugged.

“What do you do? Besides engineering.”

“I mostly build puppets, and robots. I’m trying to recreate living people, but my first project is making a realistic cat. And not like those creepy kitten one’s they sell to young girls that go off in the middle of the night.”

“Makes sense. An actual cat. How’s that going? I have no idea about engineering, but I’m OSHA certified to work machinery.”

“Ah, not so well. It’s still a little… puppet like. Not real enough.”

“Artificial?”

“Yeah,” he nodded, blinking at her. “You should swing by and I’ll show you.”

 

And that is how three days later, Sakura was knocking on Engineerings door, while waiting for Sasori to open it.

He did, his red hair a stark contrast to the plain white and blue walls and ceiling and tiles and Kami, it looked so pristine. The only things that didn’t was Sasori and his workspace. Oil and grease covered both him and table, and there was a very real looking tabby sitting on the table, though something looked off about it.

It was clear when the tabby opened it’s fake eyes. The lenses were too obvious inside the eyes, and it made the most programmed noises in the world. But she knew it must have been hard work making the little guy from scratch, programming the movements and wiring the main frame.

Sasori showed her how it moved, watching her reaction as well as the cats mechanics. Sakura could have screamed in terror on how uncat like it walked, the feeling of not-right spreading from her scalp to her finger tips. Like it was possessed or a zombie or something.

“A-ah,” She finally managed, knee's locked and cold sweat gathering on her palms as she watched it for any evil movement.

He laughed a little, sounding shy and making her glance up at him for a moment.

“Yeah,” He smiled shyly at the table, then to her, meeting her eyes for a moment before they both blushed a little. “It’s a work in progress.”

"He wants to ask out, yeah.” Came a voice from behind them, having snuck up on them.

The redhead and the pinkette jerked suddenly, and turned around to find a blonde guy with nice hair, high up in a pony tail, flipping through a catalogue at another workspace. She could see tattooed mouths on his palms and that made her insides twist at the odd aesthetic it created. 

“Deidara.” Sasori rolled his eyes. Just who he didn't want around when she came.

“Yo,” The male smiled to them, eyes not leaving the magazine in his hands. Oblivious to Sasori's sharp, demanding gaze, the warning to leave almost crackling in the air. “If you’re Sakura, he wants to ask you out. He meant to give you his number a couple days ago but he clearly chickened out, yeah. And I don’t wanna watch you two dance around each other, despite how fun it seems. Sasori will get peckish and won’t concentrate and everyone’s riding on him right now, yeah.”

Sakura looked to Sasori who was now a little pink in the cheeks and glaring at Deidara sonething fierce. If looks could kill, Deidara would be long gone.

Sasori looked to her and put a greased hand to his face to hide his embarrassment, covering his eyes. The top of his ears were even burning red, making her heart flutter at the sudden knowledge.

“Yes. Yeah, here’s my number.” She fumbled around on his desk for a pen, flipping over a sheet with a lot of numbers on it to write her own on the back. She even spelled her first and last name, so he remembered who she was. “But I have class in ten minutes, so I have to go. Call me.”

Sakura grinned at him, waving a short goodbye before exiting. 

Maybe her week (month) had been better than she thought it would turn out.

**Author's Note:**

> someone should stop me bc these r so bad
> 
>  
> 
> the cat part was inspired by the natural habitat by tozette which I feel necessary to give them credit for because I realize I am a terrible person and they are much better than me. I thought it was original when I wrote it, but I realized it was from their story after rereading their work. Be sure to give their work a read.


End file.
